132: choose

"You called me here, just to ask about this?"

"There's nothing left to ask. I can guess the rest. You wanted to investigate those matters, and I was the entry point, but you had no direct evidence to act. So, you deliberately gave me this opportunity—to catch me red-handed and also extract the information you wanted from me." Wen Hengtang spoke with his eyes closed. "A very clever move. I just didn't expect you'd be willing to use yourself as bait for these things. You really went all out."

"In struggles and games, spectators who dare not enter the arena can hardly share in the victory."

"We were wrong. We thought choosing a family like the Ning Family could ruin two people at once." After a long sigh, Wen Hengtang laughed wildly again. "In the end, one wrong step leads to many more."

Yan Zhuohua found his laughter grating and frowned, scooting his chair back a bit.

"Do you have anything else? If not, I'll be leaving. It's Monday, you know, I have to go to work."

"...Isn't coming here easier than going to work?" Wen Hengtang's laughter was choked off by his words, nearly causing him to cough.

"I love my job!"

"Loving your job while taking frequent leave?"

That line sounded familiar. Yan Zhuohua thought for a good while before remembering his eldest brother had said something similar. Forget it, better get back to the main topic.

"Well, you're certainly very concerned about me, watching me so closely."

"Of course I had to be thorough. Otherwise, how could I drive a wedge between you and your husband?" Wen Hengtang looked at him with a faint, mocking smile. "But I am genuinely curious: are you really so willing to be his wife for life, to be manipulated and disposed of at his whim?"

"...Even now, you haven't given up? You're really dedicated to your job, aren't you?" Yan Zhuohua was utterly exasperated. "What exactly is your relationship with the forces behind you, to have fostered someone as loyal and work-loving as you?"

"It's not that I can't tell you," Wen Hengtang chuckled lightly. "Let me tell you a story."

"I don't want to hear it." Ignoring Yan Zhuoyang's instructions in his earpiece, Yan Zhuohua flatly refused Wen Hengtang. *Ha, that story is probably some clichéd tale about suffering injustice or oppression, right? Isn't that the backstory for any random villain you pull off the shelf?*

*Don't want to hear it!*

But Wen Hengtang paid no heed to his willingness and began telling his story anyway.

"Do you know why I have this name?" Wen Hengtang was being cryptic.

"I know. It's an alias for the medicinal herb henbane. It's toxic but can treat a bunch of illnesses." Yan Zhuohua dismantled his setup without hesitation. "I'm guessing you're about to say you suffered a lot, someone in your family got sick because of it, you want to get some revenge on society, so you were given this name." *It's really that cliché.*

"..."

"Yes!" Wen Hengtang said through gritted teeth. "That's why I hate you rich people!"

"Could it be that Sun Qian is your mother?" *Otherwise, why do you sound just like her?*

"You're right again, Yan Zhuohua. Why are you so lucky, having everything and being able to do anything?"

"...I was just saying it offhand." *Who knew I'd guess right?*

But Wen Hengtang was clearly beyond listening, his emotions on the verge of collapse. "You should thank me! You should thank us! If not for our plan, you'd have spent your whole life as the child of a low-life thug, suffering hardship and scorn, worse than my past!"

"You're right," Yan Zhuohua nodded in agreement. "How am I so lucky? You villains stir up trouble and incidentally hand me a life of wealth and status. Not like you folks, failing at everything you do."

Wen Hengtang, now enraged beyond reason, immediately tried to lunge fiercely at Yan Zhuohua. Unfortunately, having gone too long without rest, he stood up only to feel dizzy and lightheaded, collapsing uncontrollably.

Yan Zhuohua's earpiece crackled with another warning from his eldest brother, telling him to tone it down and not provoke the man into a medical crisis, lest he face another round of family rules.

*...Knew it was a lie when you said you wouldn't hit me again last time. You adults love to deceive.*

But whether Yan Zhuoyang was bluffing or truly lying, Yan Zhuohua decided he'd better rein it in. Wen Hengtang had been deprived of rest for too long; pushing him further might indeed land him in the ICU.

The sudden dizziness halted Wen Hengtang's movement and, once it passed, brought a renewed calm.

"Yan Zhuohua, we've been friends for so long, yet I never knew you could be so infuriating when you talk."

"Don't worry, I won't provoke you anymore." *Big Brother is still warning me in the earpiece!*

Wen Hengtang laughed mockingly again. "Afraid that if I die of anger, you won't be able to continue the investigation, right?"

"Yes." *"Of course not. We were friends once, after all. It wouldn't come to that."* *Let me tell you a little white lie.*

The white lie clearly didn't fool Wen Hengtang. He scoffed and lowered the hand he had been holding to his forehead.

"One last question. If you were me, would you do the same things I did?"

"Yan Qinghe's past was probably even harder than yours."

"Even with a perfectly happy ending example right there, should I just endure that suffering I never deserved? His happy ending is just a one-in-a-million miracle among countless suffering people. Are you using a miracle to comfort the masses?"

"I'm not comforting you, nor do I ever interfere with others' decisions. I'm just stating the choice I might make." Yan Zhuohua paused, then smiled gently and calmly. "Also, I believe I once told you that everyone's choices have their own reasons and lead to their own outcomes. The path must be walked by oneself. As for the destination and the ending, sometimes there's no right or wrong—just the old saying, 'the victor becomes king, the loser a bandit.' Nothing unacceptable about that."

After saying this, Yan Zhuohua stood up, ready to leave the room.

"Hasn't Yan Qinghe ever hated you?" Wen Hengtang's voice suddenly rang out again.

"He loves me very much."

Yan Zhuohua didn't look back, simply pushing the door open and walking out.

Yan Qinghe was waiting for him outside.

"I've never hated you," Yan Qinghe pulled him into an embrace, lifting his chin for a careful kiss. "I truly love you."

The two held each other there for a moment, the atmosphere turning somewhat intimate.

"Enough. There are still plenty of people around. If you want to hug, do it at home." Yan Zhuoyang emerged from the adjacent room.

Yan Zhuohua reluctantly extricated himself from Yan Qinghe's arms and pouted. "I helped you talk him around."

"Mm-hmm, so you're done here. Get lost!"

"?" *What does that mean?* "Use me and throw me away?"

Yan Zhuoyang wasn't quite that heartless or cruel. "It's noon. You two go to the cafeteria for lunch. After eating, go take a nap in your usual room before heading back."

"Oh!" *Not bad, they're even providing food.* Yan Zhuohua took out his earpiece and handed it to Yan Zhuoyang, then walked out hand-in-hand with Yan Qinghe, quite satisfied.

"Wait," Yan Zhuoyang suddenly called after them. "You two behave during your nap. No funny business. There's no one here to clean up after you."

"It's not like... Mmph! Mmph!"

Just as Yan Zhuohua was about to retort, Yan Qinghe swiftly covered his mouth and dragged him away, not releasing him until they'd turned two corners.

"Why'd you stop me? Big Brother is being so unreasonable."

"Don't be angry. Arguing with Big Brother is like an egg hitting a rock. If you annoy him, he'll punish you again."

Though reluctant, Yan Zhuohua knew his eldest brother was still angry about him acting alone and getting himself kidnapped. Provoking him now would indeed lead to no good.

"It's been two weeks already! He already hit me, why isn't he over it yet?" Yan Zhuohua muttered quietly. "How much longer do I have to grovel?"

"Bear with it a little longer. You really upset Big Brother this time. He probably won't be completely over it for another month or two." Yan Qinghe pinched his puffed-up cheek and couldn't resist giving it another kiss. "Once he cools down, we'll make him treat us to a meal."

Soothed by the kiss, Yan Zhuohua nodded sweetly.

"Let's go eat."